I recently read a post by the CEO of one of our vendors who thought his main job was to create processes and hire bright folks to take over every area he handles today. Studying successful leaders heading up super happy cultures over the past few years, I’ve noticed one common thread: superstar CEOs delegate constantly and consistently.
Yet many leaders continue to perform tasks that even an intern could handle because a) they feel the task will be done incorrectly, b) the processes to complete the task are in their head and not documented, or c) training is not in place to ensure team members continue to grow and learn.
Upon introspection, I came to the conclusion I was handling far too much in the accounting area. Over the past five years, I’ve done a pretty good job at creating processes, training employees and turning over even high-level strategy work, but I’ve kept a tight reign on tasks involving monetary transactions. One of my main goals for 2017 is to get my “accounting time” under two hours per month so I can focus more on strategy, thought leadership and business development for the agency.
Delegating with Purpose
Here’s my process for taking the risk out of delegation.
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- Map Your Current Process: Write down each and every step you currently handle. Then place the tasks into two columns: “Delegate” and “Keep”. Be honest with yourself and put only the tasks ONLY YOU can do in the “Keep” column.
- Highlight Processes that Live Solely in Your Head: Call out each one of the tasks where the decision or creative process is not documented. For example, to which accounts you attribute revenue or a payroll calendar.
- Educate Complex Processes: Sophisticated processes that involve multiple people or steps and have evolved over years in your head are going to take time. Be patient and understand there may be a few hiccups as other folks take over.
- Put Reminders or Tasks in Place: Our agency uses Basecamp and Google Calendars to set milestones and reminders. If you need your team to handle certain tasks on a regular basis, these recurring reminders should be setup in advance.
Your New Year’s Delegation Resolution
In 2017 what can you delegate to give you more time to work on strategy, projects that excite you, and work-life balance?
